


Animagus

by Ellionne



Series: Mad as a Hatter (Crack Collection) [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Voldemort Wins, Animagus, Cat Harry Potter, Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, Harry terrorizes the Death Eaters, Lucius is done, M/M, Slice of Life, Snakeface Voldemort, half-assed Animagus Theory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 20:54:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29374926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellionne/pseuds/Ellionne
Summary: The Death Eaters get terrorized by the Dark Lord's cat, Lucius has an epiphany and Voldemort is grateful that his Death Eaters would never dare to question him but instead make up an explanation themselves about never witnessing his animagus transformation.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Tom Riddle | Voldemort
Series: Mad as a Hatter (Crack Collection) [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2194092
Comments: 16
Kudos: 152





	Animagus

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RudeHellion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RudeHellion/gifts).



> **Do NOT repost, recreate or translate.**
> 
> HAPPY BIRTHDAY, REIGN!  
> I KNOW YOU HATE CAT ANIMAGUS FICS - THAT'S WHY YOU GET ONE. HAVE FUN!
> 
> Thanks to my beta [Sage](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NeuroWriter14/pseuds/NeuroWriter14) <3

Lucius looked in trepidation at the chaos in front of him.

All around, Death Eaters were nursing their scratched shins and faces, their bitten fingers and noses. The usually immaculate decor in tasteful black was smirched by bits of white fluff, most notably in Barty Crouch Jr.’s robes. Even clad in his black Death Eater robe, the man looked like one of the muggle stick-cloud-candies Draco was secretly so fond of. Their Lord was due to hold court every second now and the ballroom of Malfoy Manor, the grace of his home, was an utter mess.

Lucius’s eyes zeroed in on the preparator of the mess. Of course, it had to be _it_.  
Loudly purring, with no care in the world, sat the cursed fluffy cat his Lord positively _adored_. The _white_ cat that worked its Merlin-forsaken fur into the black velvet cushion laying on his Lord’s throne. Into the ridiculously expensive cushion, charmed to ease long hours, which was now also worked over by the cat’s sharp claws. 

Impossible green eyes bored into Lucius’ while it purred even louder - Lucius was convinced the little shit knew exactly what it was doing and laughed at his inability to stop it. His wand-hand twitched but he had no deathwish. When Lord Voldemort deemed even his most faithful Bellatrix deserving of severe punishment because of her often stated jealousy of the animal, he didn’t want to imagine what the consequences were for seriously hurting the monster.

With a long-suffering sigh, Lucius called for a house-elf to at least tidy up the room and contribute some healing salve among the guests _._ There wasn’t much to do about the rude hellion still besmirching his Lord’s throne though. Before he could contemplate the matter further, the wards informed him of his Lord’s appearance. Not that it was needed - the Dark Mark burned as always pleasantly in reaction to the Dark Lord’s presence and his magic seeped through the halls, curling around them - his most loyal servants - like a blanket. 

Lucius bowed his head in reverence when his Lord stepped past him and paused before his throne. Of course, despite the fast work of his house-elves, the Dark Lord had noticed the state his chosen courtroom, as well as his servants, were in. Had noticed his _pet_ sitting smugly on the place that was reserved for him, meeting his disapproving glare head-on. 

On any other day, their Lord had nothing but fondness for his menace (hidden deep in his secured mind, Lucius wondered if it was because they were united in their enjoyment of humiliating innocent bystanders). Today though? Today he showed a rare sign of his long foregone humanity. In his peripheral view, Lucius could see his Lord pinching the space between his eyes where the bridge of his nose might have been once upon a time and let out an exasperated sigh that echoed loudly in the tense silence of the gathered Death Eaters who look anywhere but their Lord or his fluffy pet-demon. 

“Really, Harry?”

The cat flopped gracelessly on the cushion and rolled over on its back, showing off its especially fluffy belly while twisting its head until it could look upside down to the Dark Lord in a way that was probably supposed to look cute. How could the beast with a wide-known penchant for torture think anyone would fall for this blatant display of-  
Did- did Lucius just hear his wife sigh charmed beside him?

Their Lord took the last steps to the throne and shooed the cat with an impatient motion off his throne, turned the cushion without pause (they all had learned early on, that the cat’s fur defied all magic and cleaning spells only made them stick more to whatever surface they clung to) and sat down irritated. The cat strode around his Lord’s legs, leaving its fur on the expensive black robes, and avoided a kick that no one was fooled into believing to be really aimed for the cat.

“Leave or I’ll bring you to the vet, pest.” 

The cat managed to somehow convey its mirth before leaving to find Nagini and take a nap wrapped up in her body in front of some fireplace or another. 

Not for the first time, Lucius wondered if it was even a real cat or an animagus.   
Who was he trying to fool - it _had_ to be an animagus. And considering the name his Lord just dropped it didn’t take a genius to guess which wizard was behind it. But-

Perceived as an equal to the Dark Lord he might be, more guts than brain he might have- but Harry Potter, the prophesied Saviour of the Wizarding World; the boy who had laughed into Death’s (and their Lord’s) face again and again - always landing on his feet no matter how deep the fall, so to speak; the young man who had intrigued the Dark Lord to such an extent that he didn’t even think about killing him anymore but instead had given chase to court him; the terror that enjoyed humiliating Death Eather’s as much as the Dark Lord enjoyed torturing traitors- Ah, well. Stated like this Lucius was tempted to kick himself that he hadn’t figured it out sooner. But still- Harry Potter _dared_ to flaunt his animagus ability in front of the Dark Lord?

Their Lord who, for all his might, had no animagus form.

Or rather he might have had, once upon a time, but he had performed so many rituals, had surpassed humanity and rebuilt his body to the magnificent wonder it now was, that he had lost the ability to fully shift forms along the way. Although lost is a strong word. For he had managed to combine his flawed human shell with the wonder that had been his animagus form - many thought it to be a dangerous snake, if not even a basilisk! - and ascended into the realm of the gods not only by his power but also by his immorality and his appearance. No one could accuse him of humanity any longer. 

But the Death Eater's _respected_ their Lord too much to rub salt into the assumed wound that was the only branch of magic he would never be able to tap into again. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


Voldemort knew his servants thought themselves to be subtle in their avoidance of every and all talk or action that so much as hinted to the topic of animagi. Sadly, for all the talents that he gathered in the masses of his subordinates, finding subtlety among them was a lost cause. 

Then again, Voldemort had always been particularly perceptive. He had always been brilliant. So, naturally, he had mastered the animagus transformation while he had still been at Hogwarts, had mastered it before he had even made his first Horcrux. Before he had been immortal, when he had still feared his untimely demise in the mess that had been the muggle world war.

There were many hypotheses around how the animal for the animagus transformation is decided. Of course, Voldemort had studied them before he had attempted the process. In his well-founded opinion, the animal was only secondary decided by the character of the Wizard or by what they _desired_. It was foremost decided to serve the innermost _need_. 

So when Harry Potter, hunted down by the Death Eaters, _needed_ a second chance again and again; when Harry, confined by the expectations and demands of the Order his parents had foolishly associated with, _needed_ the freedom to give and take as he pleased without care for anyone’s expectations - his animagus form developed as a cat.  
Seemingly multiple lives, no care for social hierarchy, free to give affection, free to _deny_ affection. Free to play with its prey (Voldemort was sometimes half tempted to fund an anonymous poll to gather if his Death Eaters preferred some time under his Crucio or the utter humiliation Harry came up with when crossed - he was rather sure he knew the result already.)

Voldemort, when he had still been Tom Marvolo Riddle, had always been proud. He had been brilliant and unforgiving, never forgetting a slight. He had desired to be great, to be acknowledged and to raise above the unworthy - all his desires had been fulfilled upon fully embracing _Lord Voldemort_ and leaving Tom Marvolo Riddle behind.

Tom Marvolo Riddle, who had _needed_ security - the knowledge, nothing these muggles could drop on him would be able to kill him. 

Tom Riddle, whose animagus form had developed accordingly to his _needs_.

Tom, who never repeated his transformation after the initial success. 

The orphaned boy, who feared Death - especially by muggle means - to such an extent, that his magic deemed it sufficient to flee into the security of a _cockroach._

Voldemort couldn’t stress enough just how little he had in common with Tom Marvolo Riddle.

**Author's Note:**

> ~~ok ngl, the idea was just using a ridiculous but justified animagus form, the cat thing just somehow happened because I know you need build up to enjoy yourself xD~~
> 
> I have [tumblr](https://ellionne.tumblr.com/) now. Feel free to check it out and talk to me or something. :D


End file.
